The Nation Newspaper

Tag: security

  • How to combat emerging security threats- Alaafin

    How to combat emerging security threats- Alaafin

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has underscored the necessity for effective and efficient Intelligence in the country.

    Oba Adeyemi also urged all stakeholders in the country’s security circles to come together and brainstorm, in order to ensure enhanced intelligence-gathering and management towards effective combat of emerging security threats.

    Alaafin gave the admonition on Thursday in his palace when he received the Assistant Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence.

    Corps [NSCDC] for Zone A comprising Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo,  and Ekiti States, Abdul-Waheed Bamidele Popoola and his entourage who paid him a courtesy visit.

    ‘’ While we should not allow western education to destroy our native intelligence, there must be holistic synergies among our security agencies on intelligence gathering. Rudimentary principles of Intelligence requires that certain things needs to be known by decision makers to set certain requirements, while field operatives must know what to gather and keep.

    As a corollary, obtained raw data or information must be evaluated to provide the best possible answers to questions initially asked, while the processed information must be passed on to the authority, who should apply them purposefully to national ends,’’ Oba Adeyemi said.

    Underscoring the role of public policy in national security matters the Paramount ruler  noted that it cannot be over emphasized because

    of the vital role it plays in identifying problems and deciding on what measures to take, to address the problems, as well as, assessing if measures are effective or not, towards effective monitoring implementation of the measures.

    Oba Adeyemi who appreciated the NSCDC  for its understanding of the cultural and historical importance of traditional rulers, lauded what

    he called gallant efforts of the Corps’ officers and men in safeguarding the nation’s economic base from saboteurs.

    ‘’Your contributions to national survival must be lauded by well meaning individuals. You work day and night assiduously to checkmate

    nefarious activities of oil bunkererers and pipelines vandals. In the course of this, a number of personnel were lost in the battle against

    these economic saboteurs. You are doing wonderfully well and must be commended’’.

    Alaafin who made case for adequate provisions of sophisticated equipments and facilities for the Defence Corps, in order to boost the

    morale of personnel, as well as ensure optimal performance, also pledged his continued support and assistance for the NSCDC.

    Earlier in his address, the Assistant Commandant-General said he was in the palace in appreciation of the monarch’s contributions towards

    effective operations of the Defence Corps both in Oyo metropolis in particular and Oyo State in general.

  • A security tweak

    The security of one of the most secured arena in Nigeria, the Presidential Villa was further stepped up last week.

    Gaining entrance to the seat of power is no longer business as usual under the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    New security gadgets, Sagem MorphoAccess security gateways which electronically screen staff and visitors, became operational last week Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The machine’s rapidity and networking capabilities have been deployed to address security applications from one-door control to protection of buildings, vast infrastructures and government agencies across the globe.

    Many seats of governments across the globe have similar gadgets in place to keep away unauthorized and unwanted visitors.

    The gadget, which controls opening and closing of glass auto-gateways and steel doors, are placed at various locations in the Villa.

    The projects, which started under former President Goodluck Jonathan and stayed too long on the drawing board, have finally seen the light of day.

    The doors now only open to authorized staff and visitors who want to gain access to the President’s and Vice President’s offices’ wings and other key offices and facilities in the State House.

    The global identification system has fingerprint access control, time and attendance terminal.

    The glass gateway is expected to open only when a duly authorized staff’s finger print is scanned and identified by the machine. The gateway will not open if the machine could not identify the person’s biometrics in its database.

    The system, which has been installed with accurate fingerprint sensor, is expected to be very fast and hitch-free.

    It is expected to be as fast as between 0.7 and 0.9 seconds in the identification mode, carrying out detection, coding and matching at the same time.

    When a duly accredited staff places his or her finger on the fingerprint panel, the machine’s monitor instantly displays ‘Remove finger analyzing…’, it then shows ‘Welcome’ and the ‘staff’s name’ followed by ‘Identified’ before the glass gateway is momentarily flung open for the staff to pass through.

    When the index finger is not properly placed on the panel, the monitor displays ‘Move up’ asking the staff to properly place the finger.

    With its multifactor authentication capacity, it can also encode badges and identity tags apart from capturing fingerprints.

    This means that beside the fingerprints scanning, access can also be granted by simply swiping an authorized staff’s identity tag closed to the machine.

    The new system have opsonic sensor installed that detects false fingerprints and immediately bar unauthorized staff or visitors from gaining access to the Villa.

    With the capacity to have up to 50,000 users, at any given time, its integration into existing systems is supposed to be easy with in-built Power-Over-Ethernet (POE) and optional wireless LAN communication.

    As the machines are already installed at the pilot gate and many points before the President’s and Vice President’s office doors, a new order is certainly settling in at the seat of power.

    While the machines will now carry out independent and proper screening of staff and visitors to the Villa, the security personnel on duty may now have less to do by just concentrating more on monitoring usage of the machines by staff and visitors.

    The security personnel are expected to act appropriately whenever any unauthorised person tries to beat the system.

    Apart from identifying anyone carrying a fake identity card, the machines will also restrict movement of some staff not authorized to go beyond a certain point.

    Movements of visitors without proper clearance from the authority will also be checked.

    There is however a way out for security personnel on duty to allow visitors with proper authorization to have access whenever the machine fails to grant such persons access.

    The security personnel at the point of entry can also press a button for the glass gateway to open for state governors and high profile visitors that don’t normally get visitor’s tag at the pilot gate.

    But the machine is going to pose a new challenge to governors’ aides that normally accompany their bosses inside the Villa without visitors’ tags.

    Not only unauthorized persons are expected to face challenges in gaining entrance to the Villa, the first week of the machines’ operation also posed some challenges to some authorised staff and visitors.

    Unlike before, the staffs sort of experience some delays before gaining entrance, as the doors only swing open when the person has been screened and cleared by information already stored in the database.

    Cabinet members and high profile visitors are not exempted in the new order.

    One of the first cabinet members who went through the new system was the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and the Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah.

    They experienced slight delays with the machines last week Monday morning when going to the Vice President’s office for the Economic Management Team meeting.

    Excited with the new system, Adeosun asked one of the security personnel on duty, “How are we going to get the card?

    The security personnel told her to see the Chief of Staff.

    The machine, the following day, also continued to screen staff and visitors unhindered.

    They were however put to maximum use on Wednesday as almost all the Ministers and other cabinet members turned up for the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Buhari.

    While staff and authorised visitors will soon get used to the new order, the full operation of the machines are clear message to those who have no business with the seat of power and unwanted guests to stay away.

  • Senators seek increased security at National Assembly

    The Senate yesterday raised the alarm over the porous security in National Assembly, following terror attack on the United Kingdom Parliament.

    Senators said urgent steps should be taken to prevent undesirable elements from infiltrating the National Assembly complex.

    The upper chamber condemned Wednesday’s terrorist attack on the United Kingdom Parliament.

    It called for immediate security beef up within and around the National Assembly to secure lives and property.

    Senator Samuel Anyanwu drew the attention of his colleagues to the way and manner people troop to the National Assembly, especially at unholy hours of the day.

    The Imo East lawmaker, who relied on Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules, urged security agencies in the National Assembly to step up their game.

    “One day, we may just be here and a bomb will go off. We need to call the people in charge of security here to take this issue very seriously. If what happened in the UK is allowed to happen here, there will be trouble. I have said my own.”

    Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan condemned the terrorist attack in the UK.

    The Senate resolved to write the UK Parliament to commiserate the members over the terror attack.

  • Police review security strategies in Edo

    Edo State Police Commissioner Haliru Gwandu and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in-charge of Zone 5, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, have reviewed security strategies, following killings.

    Four persons including a pastor, a businesswoman and an ex-council chairman were killed in the state within three days.

    Addressing reporters after a meeting, Mohammed said they discussed the situation and how to tackle it.

    He said the recruitment of 10,000 policemen would solve manpower shortage.

    His words: “Situations are dynamic. Crime is dynamic; the strategy we put in place has to change. I sat down in police commissioner’s office and we discussed the crime situation and strategies to overcome it. We have discussed strategies to combat crime.”

  • Information, security and corruption

    Wiki  Leaks  and American Security  Operative  Edward   Snowden  stunned the civilized  world  some time  ago  when they  revealed confidential, state  and governmental information,   discussions and minutes leading to important state  and diplomatic  decisions of the US  government. It  was  also  revealed  that world leaders had  their  phones  bugged  by  the US security  agencies  and the notable example  was  that  of  German  Chancellor Angela  Merkel  who  around the time of the exposure  was  on  a trip  to the US and  the occasion  proved quite  embarrassing  for the normally  engaging  and amiable  President  Barak  Obama. Ironically,  some news  magazine  provoked  outrage   then,   when  they  recommended  both  Wiki  Leaks  founder   Julian Paul  Assange  and  Snowden  for  Man of the Year   Award   in Transparency  as  a result  of their     anti – secrecy   revelations.  That  to  me was  a  very  bad  joke  given  the  gravity  of the offence of both men  which  to me was  treasonable  as they  leaked  confidential  state secret  and information and have betrayed  their  nation and  jeorpadised its  security  and  stability  and  should  face the wrath  of the law . In fact  both  men knew the damage and offence they  had  committed and  both fled. The  Wiki Leaks founder  has  been  holed  up in Ecuador’s Embassy   in  London  ever  since while Snowden  fled  via Hong  Kong  to  Russia where  he was  given  political  asylum.

    This  background  information   is necessary  to  follow  the discussion  of today’s  topic on  Information, Security and  Corruption. I  think  it is necessary  to highlight  that state and  government information should  be treated  with a certain  measure of confidentiality  and secrecy  not only to protect decision  makers but to  enable government  decision   to  be respected  as in the best  interest  of the larger society  and motivated  by    overall    public    interest  and  the  common  good  of  society. It  is not as if this  is always  the case,  as history  has shown  and as the lid   when   open  on  statute  barred  disclosures  have sometimes  revealed, there  may  be    many other  less  than  salutary   ulterior   motives  of leaders    and decision  makers. Yet  that is no  excuse  for publicity  seeking individuals  in  whatever  guise to throw into  public  domain, without  authorization, the secrets of  government  decision making and processes  while political  actors  and public  functionaries  are  still in office and  carrying  out  their  officially   designated  duties.

    It  is in this light that we  look  at the allegations  by  US President Donald  Trump  that  his predecessor President  Barak  Obama  ordered a check  on the phones  at  Trump  Towers which  was his campaign  headquarters while  he was  contesting for the presidency  of the US, a  competition  which  he won  to become the 45th president of the USA. Former  President  Barak  Obama through  an aide has denied the charge.  But President  Trump went  on to compare  the bugging with  the historical   one   of the Democratic Party’s   Watergate  Complex in  Washington DC  during  the reelection of President Richard Nixon which  led to the resignation  of  Nixon   in  1974  in  what  is now  widely  known  as the Watergate  Scandal . Donald  Trumps’s categorization  may seem  like  an  exaggeration but  when  you look at the pressure he has faced from the media  literally   claiming that the Russians  won the elections for him by  hacking,  it  can  be assumed safely   then  that his accusation against  Obama  is  a calculated  and measured  tit  for   tat  against  the US  media  which   has always  had  a soft spot    for   his predecessor.  Again, when  you  recall  that Obama pardoned  and   commuted    a 35  year   long  jail term  given    to  Chester  Manning  who  released  700000  files   on security  to   Wiki  Leaks  and the offender  will  be out in May  2017  and  Obama  also  granted pardon to a Marine General, James  Cartwright who  admitted    lying  to the  FBI on  the Stuxnet  computer   virus,   on Obama’s departure  from   office,     then  you  really  cannot  easily   dismiss   Trump’s   charge  with a  wave  of the hand.  When  you  add  the fact on record  that on his  departure  from  office Obama  pardoned  and commuted  more  prison  terms  and sentences  more  than the  overall  done  by the 12 previous  US  presidents then  you  see that the US now and in the future  has serious  security  challenges that  are bound to affect  its political stability, diplomacy  and foreign  policy  for  a  long time  to come.

    In  South  Korea this week  the Constitutional  Court ruled  by a margin of 8-0 that  the country’s  president  should  be tried  for  corruption thereby  waiving the immunity  she had  enjoyed from prosecution  as president. The  ruling followed  the vote  at the nation’s  National  Assembly  that the President  should  be impeached. To  the letter of the law,  South Korea’s legislative and judicial  institutions have  lived up to their lawful  duties  and that was summed up in the verdict  of the Constitutional  Court  which ruled  that President Park Geun –hye   had  breached the values  of  democracy  and the rule  of law  and should  be  dismissed   as  president .According  to reports, the S Korean  Acting  Chief  Justice said  the president’s  ‘acts of violating the constitution and law are a betrayal of  the public  trust.  The  benefits  of protecting the constitution that can  be earned by dismissing the defendant are  overwhelmingly big ‘

    The  court  verdict  was a tragedy  for  the ousted president  but  a victory  for  democracy  and  transparency.  Yet  the  ousted  president was well prepared  for public office and service  as she was the daughter of former S Korean military  dictator  Park  Chung  Hee  who ruled  at the same time like powerful  military leaders like Suharto in Indonesia, and Ferdinand  Marcos in the Phillipines.  She  is said  to be married  to her nation as she has  no  husband  or  family.  Yet  she failed  the anti  corruption test  as  she  colluded  with  a friend  to betray  public trust  and she has left  office  in  disgrace. That  is a good  lesson  for  world  leaders  and  politicians,  especially  those in  Africa  to  learn  from.  The   lesson    is  that nobody, not even  a sitting  president  is  above  the law,  no   matter  the leader’s  origins and manner of ascent  to power.

    Let  us  now look  at  the  situation  in our  nation where luckily and happily  our  President   Muhammadu  Buhari   returned  home this  week  after a two month  medical  vacation.  In  his  absence  the Vice  President  Professor Yemi  Osinbajo  who also  turned  60  this  week  held  fort dutifully  and  brilliantly  too,  in my estimation. I  wish  him many  happy  returns  of  the day.  But  no tribute to him on the occasion can  be greater  than that of his  boss  who congratulated  him  for being  Vice  President  who  turned to a friend  and  partner in office. That is  a tribute  to  loyalty  and  diligence  and  nothing  can  be better, coming from someone  in a position  to make such  appraisal.‘

    In  the president’s  absence  his Vice  performed  numerous state  functions  on his  behalf  quite commendably  and  gave several  speeches  and admonitions  to  keep  the anti  corruption crusade  on course  in the absence  of its  Commander In  Chief  and  Champion, President  Muhammadu  Buhari.  But  it is one  of them  that arrests  my  attention  and  tickles  my imagination on the rule  of law, the fight against  corruption  and the administration of justice  now  and in the future in  Nigeria. Fortutous   circumstances made  it  possible   this week  for  Professor of  Law  to stand in as the President of Nigeria to swear  in the Chief  Justice  of  Nigeria.  At  the occasion the Acting  President  asked  for probity  and uprightness  in the administration of justice  in the temple  of  justice in Nigeria.  As  a former  Attorney –  General  and law  professor nobody  could  have said it better and more  painfully  too as a member  of the  ‘learned    profession‘  In  response  the new  CJ,   Hon Justice  N S Nkanu  Onnoghen  GCON  called  for the cooperation  of all  arms  of  government , namely the executive, the judiciary  and the legislature   and  present  at  the occasion were the  leaders of the  National  Assembly  who  are  also  involved  in their own unique  way  in the fight against  corruption.

    What  tickles  my fancy  however was that the last  time a professor of law  had  anything to do with the installation of Nigeria’s CJ  was when the legal scholar  and luminary, Professor  Taslim  Elias was  made  the  CJ himself   and  served  from 1972  to 1975.  Professor  Elias  was  later,   President, International  Court  of  Justice from  1982 to  1985. Now  another law  professor has sworn in Nigeria’s  new   CJ. What  I am  wondering at  is not  a case  of history  repeating itself  but    of what  is in the offing    this    time  or   the future,  in the highest  office in the temple  of justice  in Nigeria. Especially    for someone  who  has delivered so  eloquently and faithfully his  mandate of  Acting President  of  Nigeria,  to the  obvious   delight  and  admiration of  the leader  for whom he  sat in  for two  months. Once  again, long live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Security: Govt to strengthen transport policy

    The transportation system in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would be strengthened in line with the Abuja Master Plan to improve the security of life and property.

    FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, disclosed this while receiving officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), FCT Chapter that paid him a visit in his office.

    Bello said that such policy would be aimed at devising very efficient and scientific ways of operating as well as handling large numbers of commuters.

    He said, “We also have our plans and programmes as to what we want transport management in Abuja to be. Based on the master plan and our focus and for us to be able to cater for the high number of people in Abuja”.

    “We have to really sit down and device very efficient and scientific ways of handling that, starting from the locations where you operate to the road network for your members to function, to the security of commuters and your members as well as the freedom for you to operate without hindrance,” he added.

    Bello reiterated that the policy cannot be an all comer’s affairs because Abuja remains the window through which the world sees Nigeria.

    In a statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister said: “As you all know, anybody who has a car, no matter where he is from, one day just decides, ‘I want to go to Abuja’ and he comes to Abuja and just paints the car or we paint it for him and register it and before you know it, he is on the streets. Some of them will come and they don’t even follow traffic regulations, they hit people on the road, park indiscriminately and I am sure most of them as you said are not your members and I know”.

    “But we will sit down with you and streamline it so that if somebody comes in, I will know this is not the type of driver or vehicle we want in Abuja. We will tell him to park it at the border and then enter our own kind of vehicles,” he emphasised.

    The Minister remarked that “for us in Abuja, we require your support; all the issues raised cannot be resolved without the support of the Unions”.

    He restated that NURTW and other Unions in the transportation industry are very important stakeholders in Nigeria because no economy will progress and survive without the movement of goods, services and human beings.

    Bello said that the FCT Administration through its investment arm would roll out empowerment programmes for the transport associations through credit facilities to enable them own commercial vehicles of the standard befitting of Abuja roads.

    On the knotty issue of multiple taxations, he assured, “We are working on it seriously because it affects you as transporters, and it affects the hotel and hospitality business. It affects the health and educational system. Everybody is complaining. So, we are going to streamline it because the duty of government is to facilitate what you do”.

    Bello used the opportunity to appeal to the NURTW and other unions in the transportation industry, to continue to be patience despite the challenges; saying, “under no circumstances should you take the law into your hands, no matters the provocation”.

  • Firm woos subscribers with security, facilities

    The Managing Director, Buildcon Global Services Limited, Mrs. Bukunola Gadzama, has assured investors in its estate scheme – Pracht Gardens – of unparalleled luxury, comfort and security. The estate, in Ikota area of Lekki, Lagos, is touted to offer a dream environment for “aspirational” lifestyle.

    Planned for delivery in April, Mrs. Gadzama said the estate was designed to meet subscribers’ taste for luxury.

    “The estate has up-to-date security facilities that are measurable with what is obtainable in other parts of the globe. It is designed with affordability in mind and zero compromise on quality and finesse to meet the needs of subscribers,” she said.

    To strengthen the security of residents, Mrs. Gadzama said a video surveillance technology has been installed to transmit signals from one monitor to another within the estate. There is also electrical fence wire that is powered by 24 hours electrical transformer, and patrol officers that engage in routine check to curtail misconducts, protection of subscribers as well as maintaining peace within the estate.

    “In this period of insecurity, we have thought it wise to install up- -to-date technology that can track any movement made within the environment and to ensure that subscribers get the right value for money,” Gadzama stated.

    Other features in the estate include a water treatment plant; fully paved road; suitable shopping centre; ample parking space; power supply and distribution; street lights; recreational centre for children;  crèche;  as well as electrical fence wire.

    Pracht Gardens Estate consists of 40 units of four and five bedrooms fully detached duplexes as well as four bedrooms terraces, and sits on 21,000 metres square parcel of land.

    A subscriber to the estate scheme, Mrs. Juliet Onioma, expressed her delight at the layout and features in the estate. She said the estate is a place that has all it takes to keep a family, as there are facilities that addresses the needs of children, like a park and school that eases the burden of moving out of the environment.

    Another subscriber, Mr. Joe Aforieh, said he is fascinated with the structural design of the estate and the layout. “What interests me most is that l have the opportunity to come up with any additional plan to complement what is already being provided,” Aforieh stated.

  • We won’t relax vigilance against Boko Haram, says Osinbajo 

    We won’t relax vigilance against Boko Haram, says Osinbajo 

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday said that the Nigerian security agencies will keep up vigilance against Boko Haram terrorists.

    Noting that the terrorists have been degraded, he said that they still carry out suicide bomb attacks against soft targets.

    Fielding questions from journalists after receiving briefings from Service Chiefs, Osinbajo said “‎As you know the Boko Haram as a military force has been degraded, they are not holding territory at the moment; our armed forces have been able to dislodge them from practically all territories they were holding in the past.

    “What is happening now is just once in a while attacks by suicide bombers. By the nature of asymmetric warfare we are not able to say it has ended now. But I think that militarily they have been contained, there is no question at all that Boko Haram as a fighting force has been degraded.

    “We are still vigilant because of their capacity to do damage with suicide bombers. I am very satisfied with what the military has done so far.‎ And the briefing has shown graphically that they are really on top of their game and that they are doing excellently well in the north east.” he added

    He explained that the fact that he received the security briefing did not mean that President Muhammadu Buhari will not return soon.

    According to him, the security briefings are routine.

    He said; “No no no! Almost every month these briefings are held, it is routine and it is the president who puts in place this whole idea of regular briefing. It is even more important that we do so because of some of the issues arising like the cases of kidnappings and I wanted the IG to inform us fully.

    “Besides, the President is a process person and certainly I am going to speak with him here on developments here. So it is not an indication of anything. It is only an indication that we are committed ‎to the security of the nation.  The primary duty of government is to ensure lives and properties and that is why we have to be regularly briefed.

    “‎The good thing is that our men are going extraordinarily well in the north east and that Southern Kaduna has also been contained. The peace building process is also going on very well.” he added

    Minister of Defence said “We have trashed most of the security issues that concerns the country at the meeting including the Southern Kaduna and the North East and other parts of the country.

    On whether Nigeria is now safe, he said “Nigeria is very safe and I believe with the concept of the security agencies, all the security challenges have been surmounted.”

  • Shettima calls security meeting on renewed insurgency

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima at the weekend summoned an emergency security meeting following the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in some parts of the state.

    A statement by Shettima’s media aide, Isa Gusau, said the closed meeting was attended by heads of security agencies.

    The statement added that Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Leo Irabor, briefed the governor on recent attacks and ongoing military operations while discussions centred on the wave of suicide attacks following the dismantling of Boko Haram stronghold in Sambisa Forest.

    The statement reads: “At the end of meeting, new guard locations were established in some routes to curtail the movement of remnants of Boko Haram fighters; deployment of security personnel in various locations were increased with more members of Civilian JTF (youth volunteers involved) while the Governor approved the release of additional patrol vehicles to security agencies for increased surveillance.

    “The governor also approved logistics to compliment the Federal Government’s efforts in strengthening the Armed Forces while measures were adopted to strengthen the Civilian JTF and hunters.

    “The meeting also reviewed synergy between formal Armed Forces and volunteers with steps adopted to increase collaboration and clamp down cattle rustling.”

    The over three-hour meeting, at the council chambers of the Government House, was attended by the G.O.C 7 Division Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu; Commander 79 Composite Group of the Air Force, Air Commodore Charles Oho; Commissioner of Police Damien Chukwu; Garrison Commander, 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. Jibrin G. Mohammed; Director of the Department of State Services (SSS), Suleiman Kankia; Commandant of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Ibrahim Abdullahi; Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Usman Jidda Shuwa, and others.

  • Boko Haram: Borno governor holds emergency security meeting

    Boko Haram: Borno governor holds emergency security meeting

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima has held an emergency security meeting over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in some parts of the state.

    Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser to Gov. Shettima on Communication and Strategy in a statement said, the meeting was held behind closed door in attendance with all heads of security agencies in the state including Nigerian Army, Air Force, Police and the Department of State Security where proactive measures were taken on how to increase surveillance against Boko Haram attacks.

    The statement also disclosed that the meeting lasted for about three hours after the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Leo Irabor had briefed the governor on recent attacks and ongoing military operations, adding that discussions were also centred on wave of suicide attacks following the dismantling of Boko Haram stronghold in Sambisa Forest.

    Isa said the meeting was held for over three hours at the council chambers of the Government House, the meeting had in attendance ‎the G.O.C, Seven Division of the Army, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu; the Commander, 79 Composite group of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Charles Oho; the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Commissioner of Police, Damien Chukwu; the Garrison Commander, 7
    Division of the Army, Brigadier General Jibrin G. Mohammed; the State Director of the DSS, Suleiman Kankia; Commandant of the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps, Ibrahim Abdullahi; the Secretary to the State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa, the attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan and the Permanent Secretary in charge of security.

    The statement said, “At the end of meeting, new guard locations were established in some routes across the State to curtail the movement of remnants of Boko Haram fighters; deployment of security personnel to various locations were increased with more members of Civilian JTF (youth volunteers involved) while the Governor gave approval for release of additional patrol vehicles to security agencies for increased surveillance.

    “ The Governor also approved logistics to compliment efforts of the federal government in strengthening armed forces while measures were adopted to strengthen the Civilian JTF and hunters. The meeting also reviewed synergy between formal armed forces and volunteers with steps adopted to increase collaboration and clamp down on cattle rustling used by insurgents to raise funds.
    ” The council deliberated on recent false information spread by mischief makers to cause disaffection between armed forces and volunteers particularly the Civilian JTF with the council warning mischief makers against destabilizing the emerging peace across the State,” the statement said.

    ‎